This invention relates generally to fiber optic systems, and, more particularly, to a rotary switching device capable of selectively interconnecting a single optical fiber to a plurality of optical fibers.
Great strides are being made in the field of optical fiber systems such that their world wide usage in numerous different optical applications is becoming commonplace. There are a number of features that will attract different types of users to the incorporation of a wide variety of optical fibers within varying optical systems.
Optical fibers are extremely valuable in use where electromagnetic interference is a severe problem such as aboard ships, aircrafts or vehicles having sensitive electronic systems packaged along side electrical power systems. Furthermore, optical fibers have the potential for extremely wide band transmission with a bandwidth potential of several gigahertz over 1 km and hundreds of megahertz over distances of up to 10 km without intervening electronics. Additionally, optical fibers are acceptable for transmission of more modest bandwidths over very long continuous lengths of, for example, a few megahertz over 20 km. By comparison to the losses associated with coaxial cables optical fibers are not only becoming more desirable in many applications but also practically indispensible. The use of optical fibers within telecommunications is becoming conventional, and the use of optical fibers in the areas of medicine, for example, have led to many important breakthroughs not only in diagnostic equipment, but also in surgical equipment.
In most instances, such optical fiber systems are utilized in conjunction with lasers. For example, it is highly desirable to transmit a single incoming beam of electromagnetic radiation selectively to a number of different receiving stations, or from a plurality of sources to a single receiver or detector. Such applications can be found in ordnance initiation, communications, medical procedures, and optical transmissions in confined areas such as space stations. In the past, most types of alternative interconnection systems were bulky, expensive and unreliable and therefore their usage was severely limited. It would therefore be highly desirable if an optical switch was available which could readily accommodate a large number of outputs while simultaneously be extremely compact, reliable, and inexpensive to fabricate.